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Published by SparkPress
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
For fans of Louise Penny and Robert Dugoni, Illusionist is a contemporary crime thriller where PI McPherson must choose between killing an author at a writing retreat in the Pacific Northwest or letting a college student die.
When an illusionist joins the Pines & Quill writing retreat, one of the owners vanishes without a trace in the middle of everyone, but the surrounding would-be witnesses don’t see or hear a thing. That’s when crime boss Georgio Gambino makes a checkmate move against his nemesis, Sean McPherson. He forces a writer in residence to kill another writer and frame McPherson. In a video call, Gambino warns the writer, “If you don’t follow orders, your daughter will die.” Then, he pans the camera to prove access to her college dorm room.
McPherson discovers that Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second in command, covets his boss' role and is staging a coup. As Gambino’s soldiers traffic drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore plants incriminating evidence against the notorious Sureños gang. Can McPherson leverage that knowledge for a temporary truce and the gang’s help?
The writers in residence—a former NASCAR driver, a professional triathlete, an architect turned house flipper, and a world-renowned magician who may not be who she appears to be—band together with McPherson to create the illusion of a lifetime.
When an illusionist joins the Pines & Quill writing retreat, one of the owners vanishes without a trace in the middle of everyone, but the surrounding would-be witnesses don’t see or hear a thing. That’s when crime boss Georgio Gambino makes a checkmate move against his nemesis, Sean McPherson. He forces a writer in residence to kill another writer and frame McPherson. In a video call, Gambino warns the writer, “If you don’t follow orders, your daughter will die.” Then, he pans the camera to prove access to her college dorm room.
McPherson discovers that Carmine Fiore, Gambino’s second in command, covets his boss' role and is staging a coup. As Gambino’s soldiers traffic drugs, weapons, and humans, Fiore plants incriminating evidence against the notorious Sureños gang. Can McPherson leverage that knowledge for a temporary truce and the gang’s help?
The writers in residence—a former NASCAR driver, a professional triathlete, an architect turned house flipper, and a world-renowned magician who may not be who she appears to be—band together with McPherson to create the illusion of a lifetime.
About The Author
A cross between Dr. Dolittle, Nanny McPhee, and a type-A Buddhist, Laurie Buchanan is an active listener, observer of details, payer of attention, reader and writer of books, kindness enthusiast, and red licorice aficionado. Her books have won multiple awards, including the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Gold Winner, the International Book Award Gold Winner, the National Indie Excellence Awards Winner, the Crime Fiction/Suspense Eric Hoffer Awards Finalist, and the PenCraft Award for literary excellence; they’ve also been a finalist for the CLUE Suspense/Thriller Book Awards. Laurie and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest in Boise, Idaho, where she enjoys long walks, bicycling, camping, and photography—because sometimes the best word choice is a picture. To learn more, please visit her website at www.lauriebuchanan.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: SparkPress (May 14, 2025)
- Length: 320 pages
- ISBN13: 9781684633005
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Raves and Reviews
“Get ready to stay up late because you won’t want to put it down.” —Ann Garvin, USA Today best-selling author
“Buchanan builds the tension until you’re almost afraid to turn the next page.”—Jeff Nania, author of the John Cabrelli Northern Lakes Mysteries
“Atmospheric and delicious, Buchanan treats her readers’ senses while taking them on a roller-coaster of emotion.”—Michelle Cox, author of multi award-winning the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series
“Buchanan’s trademark style is to lure you in with cozy descriptions of food, décor, and setting, then slam you onto the edge of your seat with terrifying skill, as her bad guy holds reign over your emotions. In other words, this author has a mind of steel and a heart of velvet.”—Saralyn Richard, author of the Detective Parrott mystery series
“Meticulously plotted, beautifully written, and explosive—Buchanan’s new Sean McPherson novel barrels along like a freight train and delivers from beginning to end.”—Jeffrey L. Diamond, author of the Ethan Benson thrillers
“Buchanan is back at it with a book that's impossible to put down. Such a great series. She knocks it out of the park each time. If you're looking for something well-written with mystery and suspense, look no further. A great read.”—Patricia Leavy, author of Hollyland and The Location Shoot
“You won’t want to miss this one. Hearts are wrenched. Bullets fly. Blood flows. You’ll have a lump in your throat from the first page to the last.”—Sherrill Joseph, author of The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Illusionist Trade Paperback 9781684633005
- Author Photo (jpg): Laurie Buchanan (0.1 MB)
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